1) RECIPE FOR SUCCESS: MARCH 252) NEW YEAR'S EVE SHATTERS RECORDS3) ON OUR OWN TOGETHER TOO: PART II4) SMILE-TNG GETS READY FOR HOLLYWOOD5) CONGRATULATIONS JEN, WELCOME DAN6) ST. MATTHEW H.S. LEARNS, LWP EARNS7) JOURNEYS CONTRIBUTES TO COMMUNITY8) GIVE FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON

RECIPE FOR SUCCESS: MARCH 25

MBNA Canada Bank presents the Recipe for Success Culinary Adventure and Charity Auction for LiveWorkPlay on Tuesday, March 25 at 6:00 PM. Much like the annual New Year's Eve party (see story below) the auction has outgrown its former venue at the CHUM Market Media Mall, so for 2008 the event has moved to the ballroom of the Hampton Inn Ottawa (Vanier Parkway at the 417, ample free parking). Tickets are just $20 and additional information and ticket purchasing will be available soon from www.recipeforsuccess.ca.

Recipe for Success 2008 will feature a variety of gourmet delights starting at 6:15 in conjunction with a silent auction and balloon bust that will continue until approximately 7:30. There will be a coffee break and the live auction will start by 8:00. If you found past auction events too crowded, rest assured there will be plenty of room (and plenty of seats!) to go around this year. The live auction will feature celebrity auctioneers as well as a number of special guests.

LiveWorkPlay is pleased to welcome Scotiabank Group as a new platinum sponsor for Recipe for Success. Stay tuned for more sponsorship announcements!

NEW YEAR'S EVE SHATTERS RECORDS

There was truly not a seat to spare for LiveWorkPlay's New Year's Eve In Ottawa party in the Crowne Plaza Ottawa ballroom. Initially scheduled for 500 guests, overwhelming demand pushed the floor plan to accommodate just under 600! This more than doubled previous record of 260 set in last year's penthouse location.

The key appeal for the move to the ballroom was not attendance, it was the opportunity to offer live music. Ottawa's own Sticks 'n Stones had the crowd up and dancing all night long with an unbelievable 4 hours of music that featured a terrific mix of great rock songs plus a bit of blues, country, and even disco! Click here for hundreds of pictures and videos.

This was the first year in the ballroom and number of improvements will be made for next year to make Ottawa's hottest New Year's Eve party even better!

On Our Own Together Too is a transitional housing program that provides an opportunity for people with intellectual disabilities to practice living beyond the family home in an apartment setting. Thanks to a grant from the Community Foundation of Ottawa, a total of 18 participants will take party in OOOT-TOO over the next three years.

After Brodie and Heather successfully graduated from the first edition of the program in December, Rachel and Angela have moved in for January-March. Things got off to a great start with the learning of new bus routes and some grocery shopping. Best of luck to Angela and Rachel as they continue their journey towards greater housing independence!

CONGRATULATIONS JEN, WELCOME DANIEL

LiveWorkPlay senior staff member Jen Bosworth and husband Dan Bosworth are pleased to announce the pending birth of their first child! The baby is scheduled to arrive in late spring and Ms. Bosworth will taking leave from her duties at LiveWorkPlay to be with the newborn.

Daniel Harris will be joining the team in Jen's absence, and in fact he has already started training as a facilitator with SMILE sessions. Ms. Bosworth will continue working throughout the winter and will be joining SMILE-TNG on the trip to Los Angeles.

ST. MATTHEW H.S. STUDENTS LEARN ABOUT LWP

A team of students from St. Matthew High School in Orleans were finalists in the Youth and Philanthropy Initiative of the Toskan Casale Foundation , an academic competition that brings with it a $5000 contribution to a charity of choice. Participants are charged with researching a local charitable organization and advocating on its behalf in a presentation to judges.

One key to their presentation was to extend an invitation to SMILE participant Jennifer Harris to speak directly to the panel about LiveWorkPlay and how it has made a difference in her life.

Although the team advocating for LiveWorkPlay did not take the first place prize, the students and SMILE participants benefited from the experience. Part of their research involved visiting LiveWorkPlay and asking talking to SMILE participants (pictured right).

JOURNEYS CONTRIBUTES TO COMMUNITY

On their first night back after the December holidays all twenty members of Journeys took part in an activity in support of the Children and Youth Agenda, a joint project of United Way/Centraide Ottawa and the City of Ottawa. By participating in the survey and ensuing discussion, Journeys are contributing to the development of youth services that better address youth needs in the Ottawa community.

SUPPORT LIVEWORKPLAY

After reading this blog you may find yourself wondering how it is possible that so much has happened since the last edition of just one month ago. It takes a combination of dedicated volunteers, staff, board members, families, and community partners to make it happen. And it also takes money, of which there is simply never enough.

LiveWorkPlay has a very short list of personal donors, but you can help change that! Making a donation has never been easier - it can be done as a single contribution, or better still via a monthly deduction. Just $8.33 per month results in a donation of $100 a year! You can also donate to LiveWorkPlay in the name of another person as a tribute or as a gift. Please visit our donation page to set up your contribution today!

NEW! LiveWorkPlay is now registered as a Cause on Facebook. If you have a Facebook account simply add the Causes application to show your support for LiveWorkPlay or to make a contribution.

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